Probiotic Research For Ibs

Probiotics are microorganisms, such as bacteria and yeasts, which confer health benefits when you consume them in sufficient amounts. Ten years ago, the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations convened a conference of experts to determine how far-reaching those health benefits might be. In the intervening decade, research has shown that probiotics may ameliorate several conditions, including infectious diarrhea, inflammatory bowel diseases, allergic eczema and irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS. However, there is still no consensus on whether probiotics should be used to treat these disorders.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

IBS is a non-inflammatory bowel disorder that is characterized by abdominal discomfort, bloating and altered bowel habits without an identifiable structural, infectious or biochemical cause. IBS can be manifested by diarrhea or constipation, and some patients alternate between the two. The cause of IBS is unknown, but possible contributors include abnormal gastrointestinal nerve and muscle function, psychological factors, heightened perception of intestinal activity, genetics and altered composition of gut organisms. Some people have developed IBS after a bout of infectious or antibiotic-induced diarrhea.

Probiotics and Immunity

When you were born, your gastrointestinal tract was essentially sterile. Within weeks, your gut had been colonized by a plethora of bacteria, yeasts and other microbes that you acquired from your mother, your family members and your environment. This newly-acquired intestinal flora served to "educate" your immune system by balancing the activity of white blood cells that lived along the interior of your gut. The interaction between your immune system and these "friendly" microorganisms set the stage for future responses to immunologic challenges.

Probiotics and IBS

In 2005, the "Journal of Internal Medicine" reviewed the various bowel disorders that had been studied in regard to their response to probiotic treatment. At that time, the two most "justified" uses of probiotics were the treatment of acute diarrhea in children and the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Three years later, a "Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology" article cited an increasing body of evidence pointing to abnormalities in the gut flora of IBS patients, and a 2010 review in "The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society" suggested there was a firm link between alterations in gastrointestinal "microbiota" and the subsequent development of IBS.

Current Status

As scientists learn more about IBS and its causes, and as they uncover additional information about how intestinal microorganisms influence various disease processes, probiotics may become a more prominent part of the therapeutic approaches to these conditions. At the current time, there is insufficient information about probiotic dosages, species, effectiveness and safety to recommend probiotics for IBS or any bowel disorder. If you think probiotics would be useful for you, consult your doctor.